63 



entertainment but instruction. To meet with the greatest sncoeps he must in the 

 fullest degree pusi^ess the (jualities of a good teacher, a thorough knowledge of his 

 subject, enthusiasm for his work, and the ability to speak in a clear and convincing 

 manner. 



The following paper was j)resented by F. H. Hall, of Illinois: 



COOPERATION WITH OTHER EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES— THE 

 COMMON SCHOOLS. 



The agricultural renaissance in America had its beginning in the experiment sta- 

 ti(jns. The jirimary function of the station is investigation — discovery. Through its 

 bulletins it undertakes the work of dissemination. In the performance of this latter 

 function it is handicapped. It speaks the language of science, and to the common 

 people this is an unknown tongue. The investigator speaks to the few who can 

 understand him, who follow him, though sometimes afar off. But they are genuine 

 disciples and they have faith in varying degrees in their leader. 



The farmers' institute attempts to organize these tlisci])les and to send them out 

 among the i)eople to preach the gospel of a l)etter agriculture. The first work of the 

 institute is conversion. It holds up to the people some helpful, recently discovered, 

 practical, scientitic, agricultural truth. The peoi)le look upon it at first hesitatingly 

 and perhaps suspiciously. Kew evidence is j>resented. Aj)peal is made to the eco- 

 nomic instincts of the listeners, and at length some are converted — turned around — 

 turned together with their faces toward the leaders in investigation. They begin to 

 have faith, not in Hicks, but in the Weather Bureau; not in tradition that has to do 

 with the moon, the planets, the number 13, and the ground hog, but in the men who 

 weigh and measure and compare, and generalize only when sufficient data have been 

 obtained. 



The work of the institute is not so much instruction as it is inspiration. Its pur- 

 pose is not so much to teach as it is to create the desire to learn. At best the num- 

 ber of scientitic facts that can be taught in the annual institute are not a thousandth 

 part of what the neophyte needs to learn. Two or three days of instruction per year 

 to less than 2 per cent of the farmers in a county can nf)t of itself have a value com- 

 mensurate with its cost. The product of the numljer of facts learned in the best two- 

 day county institute in North America mnltij^lied by the number of learners in attend- 

 ance is insignificant compared with the number of facts to be learned multiplied by 

 the number that ought to learn them. If the rank and file of the farmers wait for 

 the institute to teach them what they ought to know, all will die in comparative 

 ignorance. The true measure of the value of an institute, then, is not so much the 

 amount of teaching done as the degree of interest aroused. To be sure, there must 

 be teaching, but its main purpose must be (1 ) to create the desire to learn, and (2) to 

 point to the sources of information. 



For the purpose of arousing interest, one interesting newly discovered fact of 

 unquestioned economic value, so presented as to challenge attention and convince 

 the listener of its importance, is worth a hundred commonplace truths, even though 

 the latter may be essential and presented in a most attractive manner. 



The institute speaker must give results, w'ith just enough of the processes by which 

 the results are secured to awaken interest and to establish confidence. Underlying 

 principles, theories, and technical terms are essential, but the institute has done the 

 most important part of its work wheti it has created the desire to become familiar 

 with these and has pointed out the way. 



But what is the way? What are the agencies that may, in part at least, satisfy 

 the want which it is the business of the institute to create? I answer, the press, the 

 bulletins, short courses in the agricultural colleges, and farmers' clubs for possibly 

 the present generation of farmers; the common schools, boys' clubs, and the agri- 

 cultural schools and colleges for the next generation. 



I repeat, the institute at its best can do only the most insignificant amount of 

 teaching. What it does do should be well done, and should be scientifically accu- 

 rate. It should be the little morsel of knowledge that gives the thirst for more 

 knowledge. It should be, for the most part, related to some bulletin, some book, 

 some school, some college, where a hundred times as much as can be given in the 

 institute may be obtained. 



The institute is more a sentiment maker than it is a school. By the presentation 

 of a few economic facts, it turns the attention of the people to the experiment station 

 and the agricultural college, and makes generous appropriation for these great edu- 

 cational institutions possible. 



But the agricultural college must have students, as well as money for equipment 

 and instruction. President Roosevelt says that nearly one-half of the people in this 



